11 Appetizer Recipes to Enjoy These Final Summer Days Like a Boss
I can hardly believe that summer is almost over. Before you know it, Labor Day will have come and gone, the pumpkin spice lattes will be EVERYWHERE, and you’ll be missing those long lazy summer afternoons of grilling so hard. I don’t know about you, but I am packing in as much summer celebration as I can right about now. My weekends are all about party-hoppin’ and backyard BBQ’ing. Of course, being the food-obsessed lady I am, I’ve got to bring the good stuff when I roll up to a party I’m not hosting. Now is the time to bust out those summer appetizers you have been meaning to make all summer long. You only live once right? Eat that extra slice of bacon. Stuff that sandwich with an extra slice of cheese. Get down on those summer flavors like there’s no tomorrow, because soon tomorrow will be bringing that snowstorm that you’ve been dreading. I’ve rounded up some of my personal favorite summer appetizers below that are serious crowd-pleasers. These appetizer recipes are so bomb dot com, peeps! For real, I can promise you that you will never be heading home with leftovers.
Black Bean Jalapeño Poppers - Oh My Veggies Open-Faced Pulled Pork Sliders - Sauce + Style
Super-Size Bruschetta - Delish 5-Ingredient Garlic and Herb Cheese Bombs - Spoon University
Hawaiian BBQ Sliders - Nosh and Nourish Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese and Rosemary - Spoon University
Lemon Pepper Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers - Sauce + Style
Bacon Jalapeño Cream Cheese Poppers - Spoon University
Green Fries (AKA Crispy Baked Avocado Fries) - Sauce + Style
Tater Tot Nachos - Spoon University Hogs in a Blanket - Food & Wine Enjoy these last days of summer before it’s too late!
How to Host the Most EPIC Tailgating Party
Tailgating is a must, no matter what team you are rooting for. Hitting the parking lots and getting amped up for the big game is the only way to ensure your team will bring home the victory. So you want to make sure you are hosting the most epic tailgating party ever, right? You might be a seasoned tailgater, or a complete newbie; regardless we've got the keys to assured tailgating party success right here. Buckle up BBQ peeps, it's time to get down and dirty with tailgating party prep.
Game Day Decorations You don't have to drop $500 on decorations, but making sure you are displaying those team colors loud and proud is the ultimate way to set the mood. Grab tablecloths, napkins, plates, the works. Everyone needs to know that you bleed those colors! Tailgating On the Go? Turn your SUV into table. That's right, just lay down the seats and pop the truck. Add a tablecloth to the floor and a cooler full of drinks. You can even set out your mad food spread right there so even a little rain can't ruin your party scene.
FOOD AND BOOZE Most importantly, don't skimp on the food and the booze, not to mention water for when everyone inevitably drinks too much without hydrating. Check out any of our killer Sauce + Style recipes for inspiration, or just grab a Pig of the Month BBQ feast so we can do the cooking for ya! Just make sure you're making everything handheld - no one wants to sit down with a knife and fork. Get Those Butts a Rest All that standing, boozing and eating means people will need a little rest from time to time. Be sure to grab plenty of collapsable seating for everyone! Chilly Out? Stock up on the blankets! You can even use this as an opportunity to bring in those team colors in another way.
Pump Up the Jams A mix of current jams and upbeat 80s classics are perfect for setting the mood. Don't forget to load up the team's fight song! Say Buh-Bye to Red Cups Those red cups are getting a little old aren't they? Class up your shindig with some mason jars instead. Give Them Something to Do Standing around for hours drinking and eating can get a little boring. Set up a game of cornhole, or just bring a couple balls so people can throw around the pigskin.
Grilling? If you are busting out the big guns and grilling up tasty meats for your peeps, don't forget to haul along extra charcoals and propane. Make sure you also have everything you need to safely cool down the grill and dispose of ashes before heading into the game. Follow these little tidbits of advice and you are going to have a legendary team celebration bash no one will forget. Just be prepared to be asked to host every tailgating party from now until forever.
BBQ Chicken & Bacon Guacamole Wraps
BBQ Chicken & Bacon Guacamole Wraps are here to make all your secret lunch dreams come true... I don't know about you all, but I get SO bored with eating salad and turkey club sandwiches for lunch every day. I can get into a serious rut when it comes to lunch. With all the work piling up, I never have time to really think about what I am eating unless I plan it out ahead of time.
Planning ahead is not necessarily my strong suit. As much as I would love to craft a gorgeous lunch every day, I need something that's ready to just dive into on the spot when my stomach starts rumbling. That's why this wrap is SO perfect. It's easy to make ahead of time (heck, you could even make it the night before) and it'll disappear in about 2.5 seconds. Surprised?
It's stuffed with BBQ-sauced chicken, guacamole and BACON so I'm not sure why you would be! It's better than any sandwich you'll ever grab at that sad little shop on the corner. Plus it even has some lettuce in there to make you feel even healthier as you wipe the BBQ sauce from your chin.
INSTRUCTIONS: In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. Set aside. Microwave tortillas for 30 seconds to make them pliable.
To build the wraps, lay down a layer of lettuce and top with three strips of bacon in the center of each tortilla. Divide the red onion evenly between the two, then chicken, then cheddar cheese and finally guacamole.
Wrap tightly in foil and serve immediately or bring it with you for a delicious work lunch or picnic!
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Pig of the Month BBQ Applewood Smoked Maple Bacon
Pig of the Month BBQ Hand Pulled Chicken
*Recipe & photos by Meghan Bassett
13 Labor Day Cocktails to Get Your Day Drink On
Labor Day weekend is pretty much HERE people. If you haven’t been planning your weekend menu, you might be in a complete panic right about now. Maybe you are really on top of it and have the entire weekend planned, gone grocery shopping and are already starting massive prep for an epic weekend of grilling (if this is you, serious props because danggggg). Either way, you’re going to need some cocktails to alleviate the stress or to enjoy after all your slaving in the kitchen and over the grill. Let’s face it, you know you’re going to basically be hammered the entire weekend and you can’t survive on vodka tonics for three days. To go along with that massive menu you’ve got going on, you need some serious drink variety in your grilling lives. Here’s the ultimate list of drinks that’ll get ya nice and twisted, but don’t taste like pure alcohol (we’ve all grown out of loving that taste since college, right?). There’s some fancy AF cocktail, some fruity cocktails, and even a few manly cocktails that the men will gladly kick back with instead of a cold beer. We’ll just be kicking back with these as the final long summer weekend rolls by if you need us.
WTF?! Punch - Delish.com DIY Bloody Mary Bar - Sauce + Style (pictured at the beginning of this post!)
The Pineapple Hop - Serious Eats Watermelon Sangria - Delish.com
Mezcal Mary with Roasted Jalapeño and Bacon - Serious Eats Grilled Peach Whiskey Sour - Serious Eats
Cucumber Cooler - Minimalist Baker Grapefruit Mimosas - The Brewer & The Baker Bad Idea - Supergolden Bakes
Lillet Rose Spring Cocktail - Martha Stewart Grilled Citrus Sangria - Sauce + Style
Smoked Bourbon with Candied Bacon - Sauce + Style Boozy Blueberry Lemonade with Lavender - Swooned Thirsty yet? Time to say cheers and guzzle these bad boys down already. Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend piggy peeps!
Vodka Lemonade Popsicles
It's finally here! The final long weekend before the holidays kick in. The final long weekend of the summer. It's time to bust out all the indulgent crazy recipes you can because the holiday weight gain officially starts NOW. This summer is going to be one of the last really hot ones we get as we dig deeper into September, so I'm using that as an excuse to indulge in ALL the Vodka Lemonade Popsicles.
You know y'all will be day drinking all day, erry day, for the next three days anyway, so why not enjoy the booze with a side of dessert? These boozy popsicles are all that you need for the entire weekend. You can keep cool with the frozen lemonade, and no one will ask a question as you stroll through the parks with your boozy treat!
Not that I would encourage such reckless behavior or anything....
Holiday weekends are meant for having fun, aren't they? Come on people, there's only so much time you can be silly in the summer sun before it's gone. Not to mention, these treats are going to be perfect for those scorcher tailgating days! Trust me when I say these will be a hit with EVERYONE.
Happy Labor Day piggy peeps!
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Vodka Lemonade Popsicles from Pig of the Month BBQ on Vimeo.
INSTRUCTIONS: Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl until the sugar is combined. Pour into 8 popsicle molds and freeze 2 hours. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze an additional 8 hours until firm.
*Recipe, photos and video by Meghan Bassett
Sparkling Watermelon Punch
How is it already the end of August?! Before we know it the summer will be over and we'll be sipping pumpkin spice lattes while we tailgate for our fav football team. So how am I getting the most out of these final days of summer? Three words. Sparkling Watermelon Punch.
Watermelon is my favorite fruit to gorge on during the summer. It's refreshing and light so you can eat an entire watermelon and not feel like a total whale afterwards. Not that I've ever tried to do that or anything... So it's only natural to put all that fresh watermelon to good use - in a cocktail. This big batch punch is perfect for your next summer BBQ. It's light and bubbly, which is exactly what you want to be sipping on while you are grilling up all those meats. It's just a little tart and not too sweet, so even the dudes at the party won't feel too girly sipping on it too.
The best part? It's only 4 ingredients and it comes together in less than 2 minutes. Forget spending all that time fussing over complicated recipes! You need to be out on the patio, sipping this punch and soaking up what's left of the summer sun. Go ahead and pin this bad boy now because you know you're gonna want to bust this out all weekend long when Labor Day rolls around next week! Speaking of Labor Day, keep an eye out on the blog, because we're rounding up our favorite Sauce + Style recipes to keep your celebrations going all weekend long, Pig of the Month BBQ style.
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Sparkling Watermelon Punch from Pig of the Month BBQ on Vimeo.
INSTRUCTIONS: In a pitcher filled halfway with ice, combine, watermelon juice, pineapple juice, prosecco and cognac. Stir to combine. Serve in mason jar glasses and garnish with a wedge of watermelon.
*Recipe, photos and video by Meghan Bassett
Bacon-Wrapped Caprese Stuffed Chicken
Weeknight meals can get really boring, am I right? I mean, there's only so many times you can cook a plain ol' chicken breast, match it up with some veggies and not get bored to tears. Sometimes you need to shake things up during the week, but you don't have time to master an insane recipe. Enter Bacon-Wrapped Caprese Stuffed Chicken.
These chicken breasts are going to seriously wow your family and I bet you already have most of these ingredients in your home (or even growing in your backyard for you herb and veggie growers out there!). All you have to do is stuff your chicken breasts with those classic caprese salad ingredients, wrap them in bacon and boom. Dinner is done in less than 30 minutes and your satisfying everyone at the table. I LOVE caprese salads - the mozzarella, the tomato, the basil - it all screams freshness and summer to me with every bite. Chicken lends itself so well to this combo so it only makes sense to stuff everything INSIDE the chicken breast. That combined with the bacon-wrapped exterior leaves you with one of the moistest pieces of chicken you'll ever dig into.
This will become a family fav in no time!
Bacon Wrapped Caprese Stuffed Chicken from Pig of the Month BBQ on Vimeo.
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Split each chicken breast in half. Stuff with 2 half slices of mozzarella, one half slice of tomato, and a generous sprinkle of chopped basil. Pinch the edges of the chicken breast closed.
Wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon, making sure the edges of the bacon overlap all on the same side of the breast. Heat olive oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, making sure to rotate to get it seared on all four sides. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve immediately.
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Pig of the Month Applewood Smoked Maple Bacon
*Recipe, photos and video by Meghan Bassett
Pulled Pork Mac n Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (in a waffle iron!)
Hey food porn fans... I've got something extra special for you today... It's hot and crispy straight out of the waffle iron, stuffed with saucy pulled pork and so cheesy your head might explode. It's basically a giant mess of a sandwich, carefully contained in a pocket of waffle ironed bread.
This is seriously going to become your new favorite way to make grilled cheese sandwiches, period. The waffle iron crisps up the bread in a way that cooking it over the stove just doesn't do. It's like your own personal panini press, with more than one function in the kitchen! You just pinch down those edges and it forms a pocket of deliciousness.
When you open up this bad boy, all that pork, mac n cheese and cheddar comes oozing out in the most luscious way. You might have to stop and just stare at it before shoveling it in your mouth in one giant bite. Might have to stop. But we know you definitely won't delay the goodness, right?
Get those cameras ready folks, this is food worthy of that 'foodporn' hashtag on Instagram.
INSTRUCTIONS Grease waffle iron with cooking spray and turn on.
To assemble the sandwich, begin with adding one slice of cheese to a slice of bread.
Top with half of the pulled pork, then half of the mac and cheese.
Finish with the other slice of bread. Repeat with the second sandwich. When the waffle iron is hot, cook one sandwich at a time. Place the sandwich in the center and press down firmly. You may have to hold the waffle iron down as it will not close completely.
When the cheese is melted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, remove sandwich from the waffle iron. Repeat with the other sandwich. Serve immediately.
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Pig of the Month BBQ Pulled Pork
*Recipe & photos by Meghan Bassett
13 Easy Bacon Lunches to Get Your Bacon Fix at Work
Another work week, another boring lunch packed away in the office refrigerator that you are dreading eating... We've all been there, haven't we? You get sucked into the monotony of easy "healthy" lunches and before you know it, your work lunches are no longer a blissful break. They are a sad way to attempt to fuel up and survive the rest of a crazy work day. Honestly, I believe you deserve a better lunch. Lunch breaks should be about stuffing your face with delicious homemade food and temporarily forgetting all the to-dos on your list for the rest of the day. There's no work, no kids, no distractions - just time for you to eat and enjoy the company of co-workers, or even just yourself (hey, we all need that breathing room some days!). Even if you can only spare 30 minutes, those 30 minutes should be special, right? What makes anything more special than bacon? Nothing. Bacon is the ingredient you need to not only get through the work day, but also to actually enjoy your lunch. With back-to-school craziness coming up, you need some easy lunch ideas in your back pocket to get your bacon fix with at work.
Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps - Lift in the Lofthouse Cobb Salad Wrap - POPSUGAR
Bacon Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette - Sauce + Style BLT Salad - POPSUGAR
Meat Lovers Pizza Roll Ups - Sauce + Style BLT Panzanella - Annie’s Eats
Bacon and Egg Salad Sandwich - Food52 Jamaican Jerk Double Decker BLAT - Sauce + Style
Alice Walters’ Warm Spinach Salad - Alexandra Cooks Spicy Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Chicken - Handle the Heat
Avocado BLT’s with Spicy Mayo and Fried Eggs - How Sweet It Is Bacon Cheeseburger Buns - Taste of Home
Turkey BLT - Martha Stewart Now no more excuses. Take back your lunch break and make it great again! I believe you can do it; you just need a little bacon-y help. *Post by Meghan Bassett
Top 15 Homemade Snacks for After School
The kids are heading back to school SO soon. I'm guessing most of you parents out there couldn't be more excited for the summer to end. No more worrying about entertaining the kiddos all day long, you can rest easy that they'll be busy with school and homework for the majority of each day until the next break hits. Feel that sense of relief? Breathe it in. Enjoy it. Savor it. Hold onto it for the next couple weeks every moment you feel like pulling your hair out. To really get the excitement for the change in schedule going, why not start thinking about what homemade snacks you're going to be feeding the little ones when they get home from school? You might be tempted to just buy something so you don't have to worry about it, but making these homemade snacks is too easy to pass up. It'll save you tons o' cash if you just make these yourself, plus it can be a fun project (read: distraction) for the kids as they adjust to the new school year's schedule. From sweet to savory, I've got everything you could every want to feed the kiddos in a handy list right here.
Easiest 3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies - Kirby’s Cravings Cinnamon Apple Rings - Fortune Goodies
Grilled Cheese Roll Ups - Coupon Clipping Cook 5 Minute Watermelon Strawberry Sorbet - Dashing Dish
Baked Apple Chips - The Viet Vegan No-Bake Peanut Butter Confetti Bars - Jerry James Stone
Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks - Jo Cooks Watermelon Granita - Sauce + Style
Pretzel Sticks - Sprinkled Side Up DIY Homemade Fruit Roll Ups - Sauce + Style
Taco Pizza Rolls - The Girl Who Ate Everything Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Pops - Sauce + Style
Blueberry Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins - Running with Spoons Green Fries (AKA Crispy Baked Avocado Fries) - Sauce + Style Apple Almond Butter Stacks - Chef Mom Time to start pinning, parents! The summer only has a couple of weeks left...
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